In an effort to expand services and reduce unnecessary hospital visits, Tampa Family Health Centersopened its first facility connected to a hospital.
The facility is located at Florida Hospital Tampa on Fletcher Avenue but is operated and managed by Tampa Family Health Centers.
Sherry Hoback, Chief Clinical Services Officer at Tampa Family Health Centers, said the group's 17th clinic has several goals.
"We're reducing unnecessary visits to the emergency room, potentially reducing hospital admission and ultimately assisting patients with their chronic medication management,” Hoback said.
The center will provide comprehensive health services including adult and pediatric medical care for acute and chronic illnesses.
It has 10 examination rooms, two full-time doctors and created 19 new jobs.
Tampa Family Health Centers is a federally qualified health center, serving an underserved area or population, offering a sliding fee scale, and providing comprehensive services. The providers accept private insurances, Medicaid and Medicare, and also give income-based discounts for uninsured patients.
“Tampa Family Health Center will serve nearly 100,000 patients this year, and we are excited about this unique partnership with Florida Hospital Tampa and; more importantly are excited to be able to expand our reach and increase that access to members of our community when and where they need us,” said the company's CEO Charles R. Bottoms in a news release.
The new center, at 3100 E. Fletcher Ave., is located at Florida Hospital Tampa, off of the Fletcher Avenue entrance. The center will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
--Daylina Miller is a reporter with WUSF in Tampa. WUSF is a partner with Health News Florida, which receives support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
